It’s time to talk toilet once more. Anyone would think I’m obsessed, but the truth is that many people suffer with vegan constipation and it’s something I’m asked about a lot, so here we are again!

I think one of the worst things about this painful and somewhat embarrassing condition is the fact that, as vegans, we are expected to be in the bathroom more often than not. However, for some – especially those who are just transitioning over to a diet free from animal products – this isn’t always the case.

Why is that?

That’s what we’re looking to find out!

Not getting enough water

It doesn’t help that there are conflicting studies stating how much we should be drinking each day. However, if you’re eating a whole food, plant-based diet and still suffering from constipation, your water intake is a good place to start.

Constipation is directly related to dehydration in the colon, so it makes sense to address the root cause and give our bodies plenty of fluid. Taking on board lots of water will help your food pass through your intestine as well as promote the general well-being of your gut too.

While experts recommend around eight glasses of water per day (125 ounces for men, 91 ounces for women), it’s important to listen to your body as well. If you’re feeling thirsty, take a drink.

Vegans may need to take in more water than non-vegans as our fiber intake is usually far greater. Soluble fiber needs water to work it’s magic and insoluble fiber retains the water from your intestine, so you’re likely going to need more fluid to help pass this good stuff through your system.

Fruit juices and herbal teas can help hydrate the body too, but they can also hold a lot of sugars. Common diuretics such as tea, coffee and alcohol should be avoided when suffering from constipation as these will exacerbate the dehydration, not help it.

Not getting the right amount of fat

Eliminating animal products will automatically remove a large amount of fat from your diet. This is a good thing, as the fats associated with meat and dairy are generally not very good for us, but we still need a certain amount of “good” fats.

The oils found in ground flax seeds and avocados, for example, are perfect for lubricating our digestive systems and keeping them in good working order. Taking all fats away can lead to problems, so make sure you’re getting enough on a daily basis.

However, it’s also important to recognize that too much fat can put a strain on our bodies – whether it’s good fat or bad fat. It’s impossible to give a definitive amount for you to follow as we’re all different, but if you aim for around 25 to 35 per cent of your overall caloires from good fats you’ll be in good shape.

Not enough fiber

Not enough fiber? On a vegan diet? Yep, unfortunately, this can still be a problem.

Thanks to the increase in processed vegan junk foods on our shelves, many well-meaning people are ditching animal products but aren’t hitting the fresh produces aisles as much as they should be.

If you want to do the right thing by our animal friends and your own body, it’s absolutely vital you get wise to the fact that vegan junk food is still junk food.

Try and buy more fresh produce and cook from scratch. Sure, it’s more work, but it’s well worth the effort. Try cooking up batches of your favorite dishes at the weekend and freezing them for quick and easy meals through the week. A little planning can go a long way.

Eating lots of fruits and vegetables for constipation relief is definitely the way to go. However, remember to take things slow if you are just starting out on your whole food- plant-based journey. This leads us nicely to…

Too much fiber can also cause vegan constipation

Yep, you can get too much of a good thing…at least at first.

Some people who are new to eating wholly plant-based find that, when they transition to a vegan diet, constipation can be an issue. This can be confusing. After all, vegan bowel movements are supposed to be frequent and one of the key benefits of ditching animal products, right?

Well, yes, but these things don’t necessarily happen overnight for everyone. Think about it. You’ve had years and years of eating meat, dairy and all that processed junk, then suddenly you change things up drastically – your body may not be able to cope.

Inside our digestive tracts are billions of bacteria, commonly referred to as gut flora. These microorganisms are communities in and of themselves, and are integral to our health.

When we eat a Standard American Diet (ie. one that is packed processed foods) we are effectively denying our bodies of the good bacteria we need to digest our food properly. Poor gut health has been directly linked to obesity, and it can leave you as one constipated vegan too!

As we mentioned above, this is especially true when we first make the change. Vegetarian constipation occurs because the bacteria that live in our guts simply cannot break down the amount of fiber we throw at it when we begin eating more plant-based foods, thus causing our systems to back up.

In short, if you’re eating lots of fruit and vegetables, but constipation persists, your gut flora may be struggling to keep up.

So, what can we do to help our guts? Well, we can make our transition a little slower than simply creating a cut-off day. Try and increase your intake of dietary fiber over a period of weeks, maybe even months, if you want your body to adjust naturally.

Introduce plant-based meals gradually. If you are used to eating animal products and/or processed foods at every meal, try and switch up a couple of meals a week at first and see how your body reacts. If all is well, add more plants to your diet the following week.

This slow change will help eliminate gas, bloating and constipation – all of which are common side effects of a vegan diet when you try and change things up too fast.

If you really want to boost your gut flora and promote great digestive health, a probiotic supplement can help. Check out our favorite vegan probiotics for more information.

Grains may be causing you grief

For some, grains can be the cause for constipation, and not just when they’re on a vegan diet. Many common grains – wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale – contain gluten which is a kind of glue-like protein that can cause digestive problems.

At the serious end of the scale is celiac disease, an autoimmune disorder which is thought to affect around one per cent of the global population. However, some health experts believe that as many as 2,500,000 Americans are unaware that they are living with this chronic complaint, putting them at risk of serious long-term health issues.

For others, gluten intolerance may be a problem they need to address. New research is shedding light on the difference between gluten intolerance and celiac disease.

For years, it was believed that gluten was a very black and white affair – you either had celiac disease or you didn’t. Now, however, scientists have found that there is a spectrum of sensitivity to this particular protein, which means you can be intolerant to the effects of gluten without having full-blown celiac disease.

While gluten intolerance is entirely different to celiac disease, it can still cause problems when it comes to digestive health. Therefore, it’s well worth considering a little experimentation with eliminating gluten from your diet.

Going without certainly won’t do you any harm, but it’s still wise to talk things through with your health care provider.

That’s five reasons I can think of that may cause you to experience constipation on a vegan diet. If you address each of these and take your transition at the right pace, there’s no reason why your vegan digestion should suffer.

Good luck, and don’t forget to let me know how you get on in the comments below 😊

I cannot stand the thought of eating animals to ease the transition! But I haven’t had a good poop in almost two weeks! Just a couple of really small ones. I drink plenty of water. Are laxatives an ok solution?

Laxatives should be kept as a last resort and you should try and find the most natural ones that you can. Have you tried prune juice? Believe me, it REALLY works. Just make sure you haven’t got to leave the house! Here are a few other natural remedies for constipation you might find helpful.

I’ve been experiencing tummy problems since switching to vegan I think your point about getting a lot of fiber makes sense to me. I know you talked about slowly transitioning, is it possible though to continue eating vegan, add probiotics and the body will eventually get used o it ? I just don’t think I want to eat dairy or meat again .
Thank you ,
Fiona

I know exactly what you mean. Don’t worry, you’ll be fine, and the discomfort will pass. For some it’s a matter of days, while for others it can take a little while longer, but our bodies are remarkably good at making the necessary adjustments…and you’re giving it better fuel now, so your tummy will thank you in the long run.

I agree Fiona! Since transitioning to a vegan diet a little over a week ago I have found that the smell of meat is now repulsive, especially at the butcher side. I certainly don’t want to include it back into my diet for just a little relief. I’ve also learned that vegans can suffer from electrolyte imbalances which can cause constipation as well. I’m going to start with increasing water, electrolytes (probably in a vegan suitable form of Gatorade), and increase my healthy fat as I’ve been hitting below 25% since a few days prior to becoming constipated.

I also had tummy troubles when I first switched over about a year ago. I went from eating 20-25 grams of fiber per day as a vegetarian, to easily between 50-70 grams of fiber per day as a vegan! I didn’t experience constipation (it was the exact opposite in my case—still no fun at all…) but I did deal with very severe bloating, gas, and general tummy discomfort. I tried a probiotic but for me that didn’t help at all. And yet after about 2-3 weeks I started to feel much better. Now my digestion feels significantly better than before I went vegan. It’s just a matter of developing the right gut flora for what you’re eating. It can take up to a few weeks, but it does happen! And it’s worth it, not only for the animals, but also for your own health!

Hi Fiona
It’s be a year sInce you posted your comments are you still having tummy problems. Maybe not as you will have adjusted to fiber by now. something I would ask you to be aware of is fiber I think it’s a problem for us all. when we digest fiber it absorbs water in our guts which makes are stools bigger . Then some of us start to suffer with constipation without knowing it once you begin to strain on the loo you need ask yourself why. If you go to the doctors they will say drink more water .This makes may make your stools bigger I am then reading the posts on this website advising prunes laxatives one person small poos .we all need to think about FIBER is it good or bad .I am not sure myself so please keep me posted on your thoughts can we start by reading a book called fiber menace

I am into my 3rd week of a plant-based diet and this article was just what I was looking for to address this one issue (digestion) that has been a bit of a concern for me. I’ll be honest, I am doing this because I am opposed to animal foods, at least not yet. I made this switch for a couple of reasons. My poor overall health in general and to show support for my daughter, who has opted to be a vegan months ago. She has inspired me to to do this and I have to say I do feel better, in general and have lost roughly 8-10 lbs. The only exercise I am doing is walking at this time, but I plan to add some weight lifting soon. I love cooking and nearly all fruits and vegetables, so that isn’t a drawback. My daughter and I walked through the grocery store a couple of weeks ago and she showed me how important it is to read the labels on processed products for the ones that read “contains milk or egg, etc. That was so surprising to me. I may have rushed into this thing and perhaps that is why my digestive system is having a hard time keeping up. I will increase my water and also likely try a probiotic to help.

Thank you for this article, it’s simple and informative. There are millions of pages, articles, or interviews on how to be a vegan today, and it’s important not to blindly follow advice, but to listen to your body. As a long time vegan I found that what works for me, doesn’t have to work for someone else. I think about veganism as a constant learning curve, and that’s the beauty – it’s an opportunity to try something new, try and fail, until you find what is best for you. I will surely share this article with few people that can benefit from your advice.

Thank you so much Lisa , this article was really helpful.
I always have bloating, constipation and embarrassing gut gas 😔, since I transitioned to vegan , I try to drink 1/5litre water more or less, no processed food, no grain except weekends but still…..
Do you think Flex seed works for me ?
Thank you so much 💕

Thanks for commenting, I’m pleased to hear you found the post informative 😊

It’s hard to say for absolute certain whether or not flax seeds will work for you as we’re all different and the causes of digestive issues can vary greatly from person to person. That said, adding flax seeds into your diet certainly won’t hurt (providing you’re not allergic to them, of course), so why not give them a shot? They’re little nutritional powerhouses, so even if they don’t help with your digestive issues your body will benefit from them in other ways.

Consider introducing probiotics into your diet as well. You can get these either from the foods you eat, such as sauerkraut, tempeh, non-dairy live-cultured yogurts, etc., or by taking a supplement daily. Check out my post on probiotics for constipation for more info.

I switched to a vegan diet Thursday will be three weeks and from last week I find that I am constipated although I do have bowl movements I get plenty of fiber perhaps I am a little slack on water. I also drink only Infused Water. Any suggestions

I’d take a look at the type of fiber you’re getting, have you got the balance between insoluble and soluble fiber right? It sounds like you may need to up your insoluble fiber intake, so try and get more bell peppers, salad leaves, onions, whole grains, prunes, dates, etc. into your diet if you can. More water will definitely help as well, and make sure your infused water isn’t ladened with sugar too if you’re buying from the store.

Hi, looking for some help or advice. I’m not fully vegetarian/vegan but I have been cutting back my meat intake to maybe once a week or two weeks. I’m eating a lot more vegetable than I use to (mushrooms, courgette, peppers, cauliflower, spinach to name a few). For the last three days I have had stomach pain, bloating, constipation, nausea but also seem to be loosing weight…I would have thought I would weigh more considering the constipation. Its not drastic weight loss but definitely losing instead of gaining. I also seem to wake up feeling very hungry but lose appetite as the day goes on. Any suggestions why I could be experiencing pain, constipation and weight loss all at the same time??

Hi Lisa when looking at your website there seems to be a lot of unwell people. Suffering from constipation. And then people giving advice on drinking more water. Is this good advice when you consider the water will make fiber swell .Is this being considered by all food consumers I noticed in your disclaimer is says consult your doctor if you have any doubts. However you are advising your customers to drink more than 6-8 glasses of water a day that’s going above the guidance of the World Hearth orthority. Would you mind reading a book called Fiber menace by Konstain monosriky and consider your actions . I have nothing against anyone’s diet we all sit on the loo I want to make it a happy time we must all brain storm to work out where we are going wrong .

Thanks for commenting on this and other comments in this post, John. I’ve just looked up the book you’ve recommended and will check it out.

With regard to the World Health Organisation’s (WHO) guidelines, they offer different guidance for different sections of the global population and the range is quite wide, so there is room for misinterpretation there.

As for considering my actions, I’m not 100% sure I know what you mean by that. The disclaimer is clear on every page and I maintain that seeking a medical professional for medical advice is the best way to go about getting early treatment (where necessary) and peace of mind.

Hello Lisa! I’ve been experiencing constipation for about 18-19 years. I’ve been transitioning to a vegan diet for almost a year (sometimes, out of convenience I still have some dairy/eggs, but very rarely). I know that dairy is a major factor for constipation, but it’s incredible hard to avoid it, specially when you don’t realize it’s in the food (like some potato chips, for example). However, I’ve been trying to eat as much as I can a Whole Foods plant based diet and the more research I do the more frustrated I get. It is said that some vegan foods are high in carbs and therefore not well digested, such as bananas. I really don’t know what else to do, I know it’s a long shot, but I’ve tried all different sorts of things, and I would really appreciate if you can give me some guidance on what to do to get rid of this problem. It feels like I’ve been trying too hard and causing more harm than actually curing the problem. Are psyllium husks a go to, for example? I would really appreciate your help! Thank you so much. I cannot stand to try and try and try and still have to resort to laxatives anymore!
Ps.: I think I might have a leaky gut, who am I to self-diagnose, right?

That’s a long time to suffer, really sorry to hear you’ve been going through such problems.

In terms of plant-based diet helping constipation, it’s true that it does work for many (sometimes too well!), but a lot depends on the type of plant-based foods you’re consuming. With constipation, the obvious thing you want is to get things moving, so you’ll need to concentrate on foods that are higher in insoluble fiber rather than soluble. If you diet leans towards soluble fiber, that could be part of the problem.

Hi Lillian
Read a book called fiber menace .you need to reduce your fiber slowly I . E. Stop weetabix change to cornflakes . If on high fiber bread start to reduce .the advice on this website is drink more water is this correct. The water maybe increasing stool size making you constipated. I think fiber is our problem. Good luck .x

Thank you so much for this information. I always have had this problem. I was vegetarian for nearly a decade when I decided to transition to vegan about 1 year or 2 ago. The transition was smooth, but the bowels have taken a rough turn for the worse. I will try all your suggestions, especially the prune juice.

hi lisa! for the past year i ate everything but meat (i still ate fish). about a month or so ago, i decided to go fully vegan (because it was something i already wanted to do). However, it’s been a month and I’m still very bloated and constipated… i dont want to eat animal products to “ease” this, however im not quite sure if this is “supposed” to continue for so long, it’s rather uncomfortable… I’m eating a lot of fiber, so that might be the reason. i dont think water is an issue because i also drink enough. however, i’m thinking it might be related to fats? i dont know, because im not not eating fats, i include nuts, nut butters and seeds into my diet..
Anyway, do you have any tips? or do you know anything else that might help? Thank you so much

A month could still be within the realms of transition, but it’s far more likely to be related to an unbalanced diet (vegan or otherwise). Have you tried adjusting the amount of soluble and insoluble fiber you are taking in?

Hi. I have been vegetarian since week 1 in March of 2018. My diabetic specialist doctor put me on 100% natural type 2 diabetes once daily injections and it changed my taste buds completely. I used to drink 2 to 3 gals of cow milk ea week (I live on a big farm), 1 or 2 cups coffee with flavored creamer ea morning, meat most meals, deserts ok when available, basic cooked foods like noodles, potatoes (white), etc..
Within the 1st week on victoza I stopped eating meats, dairy milk, anything with sugar, coffee, just all of it. I have always enjoyed veggies but now I crave leafy salads filled with other raw veggies, almond, coconut and cashew milk has replaced cow milk, herbal teas. Tho’ I will eat cooked sweet potatoes, cooked veggies often make my stomach cramp. I have lost 53 lbs but tho’ I need to loose around 100 more, I seem to be stalled. I now deal with constipation. I drink organic beet juice, coconut juice, carrot with ginger and termeric in it juice, lots of good well water. I am in my early 60’s and feel good how I eat, including pure organic pea protein powder. I also take herbs and vitamins daily. Why am I stalled on weight loss and constantly dealing with constipation which actually makes my body feel poisoned, which in a real way it is being. I do not have much energy either but never really have had. Can you help?

Firstly, have you consulted a medical professional about the issues you’ve described? I know you mentioned that you are under a specialist diabetes doc, but have you approached anyone about the other problems?

To be honest, 53lbs in 4 months sounds like a huge achievement and something you should be proud of rather than worrying about. I think many “sell” veganism as a quick fix, but it really isn’t. Yes, weight will come off in time, but it’s not a silver bullet and it’s important to keep perspective.

With regard to the constipation and energy levels, have you adjusted your fiber intake (soluble vs insoluble) to see if there’s a better balance to be struck there? I would definitely still see a healthcare advisor, but I’d also play about a bit with adjusting your insoluble fiber intake. (Btw, both types of fiber are important, but you might just be getting a little too much of one and not the other.)

I am a Celiac and must be careful there is no gluten. Moreover I am alergic to brown rice but white rice is fine.
Yes, I have spoken to my personal dr but I am an Army veteran and frankly VA cares very little overall about we vets and they tie our doctors hands in their desire to care for the vet outside the so called box. Can not go to civilian dr. Thanks for responding. Very kind of you.☺
How do we know we are getting enough protein when we eat no animal products?

Here it is October 21, 2018 and 65#’s lighter. Weight loss slowed down but it is coming off. I am still constantly tired, just want to sleep constantly. 😴. Not my idea of life quality… still on vegetarian life. Wish I understood whats going on. Mental alertness deminishing and though I have a 4.0 gpa for college but keep forgetting so much. Any suggestions? Want to stay 100% organic natural solutions. Just had carpal tunnel surgery. Refused their chemical pain drugs opting for CBD oil caplets (50mg) once a day. Did a fine job. Look frwd to your suggestions.

So question. I’ve been a everyother day girl all of my life. I started the Leto diet and about died. Went to the ER the Monday after Mother Day 2018 because I was unable to eat for a few days. Come to find out I was constapated for almost 3 weeks. I didn’t even realize it. Dr of coarse gave me some stuff to drink along with a year supply of mirlax. Told me stay away from animal products for awhile. Finally one week later I was able to produce a good BM. I chose to stay on the plant base diet ever since. But I’m still struggling with constipation when I stop the mirlax. Why? I committed to walking 1-1.5 hours every morning @ 6am, I drink or try to drink plenty of water., even add lime or lemon juice to help me drink it. Water just doesn’t taste good. It taste as if a Tylenol has dissolved in the water. If we go out to a certain restaurant I can drink 4 glasses of water at one sitting. The water is crisp and refreshing. If by choice I’d go a week without any water to drink. We have a good filtration on our refrigerator as well. I don’t drink coffee, sodas or tea. I seriously don’t know why I’m not thirsty. I’ve had a complete blood work. All is good. Had a allergy test to foods nothing. But like I mentioned I force myself to drink 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. I eat two small meals per day. Sometimes I will eat a small bag a chips for the salt to try to get more water in. Any other suggestions to help get the water down, if my 6-8 oz of water isn’t enough?

Thanks for reaching out and sorry to hear you’re struggling at the moment.

I’m not sure what could be causing your lack of thirst other than the fact that you’re already taking in enough water to satiate your body. You finish up your comment with 6-8 oz of water, but I’m sure that’s a typo as you’d preciously mentioned drinking 6-8 glasses per day, which is around the recommend amount of 8 x 8oz glasses (even though this is contested in many quarters).

A good idea may be to have a bottle with you at all times and set an alert on your phone for, say, every 20 minutes. When the alarm goes off, you take a sip, regardless of whether you’re thirsty or not. This way you’ll get the liquid into your body at regular intervals (which is recommended) and you’ll only have to stomach a smallish sip every time instead of forcing a whole glass down. Maybe try sparkling water, too, to mix things up a little (be aware that it’s not great for your teeth, though).

You can also download an app to help monitor your water consumption, check this post out for some of the more popular ones.

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